i wouldn't mind. its funny how AA is probably one of the most well-rounded players on the team and yet everyone hates him. of course he probably can't improve on anything anymore, but:

a) does anyone actually drive to the net better than he does on the team? or have a better jab step?
b) defense-wise, i think hes on par with fields
c) 3 pointers - sadly hes one of the most consistent ones on the team
d) getting to the charity stripe and actually making free throws. the dude is better at FT's than demar is. (DD at 83% and AA at 86%)
e) does he chuck any less than DD/gay already does?

a - yes ,b- absolutely ; c-sadly again yes ; d - he is hitting the free throws but he doesn't get fouled as often as Demar e - he chucks more or less.

I think AA is a very good player - if he were 5+ years younger we would all be "WOW.he is this and he is that" But he ain't. We must accept him for who he is. And that is a good player,defender,shooter and a TEAM guy. Does he have a bigger role on our team - yes but he shoulnd't. As reading the posts almost everyone agrees our coach didn't use him properly. I can agree but not enterely. Before Gay came - a lot of the offense actually moved through Anderson. That is also when Lowry had to play Hero ball - in some of those games there wasn't anyone else that could score.So Anderson did. Sometimes inneficiently but if that was his assignment from our coach and the organization I think he deserves a lot of credit. He did his job whether we like it or not. If his minutes and role are down this upcoming season I would love him to stay on the team. He brings some kind of leadership and insurance.

i wouldn't mind. its funny how AA is probably one of the most well-rounded players on the team and yet everyone hates him. of course he probably can't improve on anything anymore, but:

a) does anyone actually drive to the net better than he does on the team? or have a better jab step?
b) defense-wise, i think hes on par with fields
c) 3 pointers - sadly hes one of the most consistent ones on the team
d) getting to the charity stripe and actually making free throws. the dude is better at FT's than demar is. (DD at 83% and AA at 86%)
e) does he chuck any less than DD/gay already does?

I don't think the main problem is what he brings to the table skill-wise.

I say resign him. He's the toughest guy we have. Nobody else on the team, except for perhaps Lowry, will get into anyone else's face. IK'm not saying he's Oak or anything like that, but he's not afraid out there! Besides, 3 at $5 million seem fair!

I love when people call Anderson a veteran, it gives me a good laugh. The guy sure has played lots of basketball, in and around, but, he's not a veteran when thinking NBA experience. He's played on bad teams - yes, including the Raptors - and has never played in the playoffs. At 30 years old, he is still trying to prove himself, that says a lot right there.

Alan Anderson has a good skill-set, solid perimeter shooter, can play in 1-on-1 situations, good on-ball defender, locker room/chemistry guy, but to counter, he takes ill-advised shots, incredibly streaky, selfish, and with Casey, being used in a role that is not suited for him.

i wouldn't mind. its funny how AA is probably one of the most well-rounded players on the team and yet everyone hates him. of course he probably can't improve on anything anymore, but:

a) does anyone actually drive to the net better than he does on the team? or have a better jab step?
b) defense-wise, i think hes on par with fields
c) 3 pointers - sadly hes one of the most consistent ones on the team
d) getting to the charity stripe and actually making free throws. the dude is better at FT's than demar is. (DD at 83% and AA at 86%)
e) does he chuck any less than DD/gay already does?

A) Yes, drives to the net and takes off-balanced floaters, nice. He does have a "Steve Smith defender catching" type move with his jab step.
B) Fair enough.
C) Sadly, he takes as many bad ones as he does take good ones.
D) Sample size now, free throw percentage is better, but give me a stat on who has attempted more free throws in the season.
E) He "chucks" less obviously, but "chucks" more than what he SHOULD be "chucking".

I voted no. With Gay, DeRozan, Ross and Fields on the roster, I see no reason why a selfish journeyman should get any minutes. He's old, but I don't think that automatically qualifies him as a "veteran".

Barring any trades, I would much prefer AA's minutes go to Ross & Fields.

I would like to see some vets added to the roster, but preferably true NBA vets who have been battle-hardened with NBA playoff experience & success. AA is NOT an NBA veteran, despite the fact that DC seemed to rely on him as such.

Why so much love for Fields? By all accounts they provide the same skill set on the court and frankly the only thing Fields was good for this past season was his defense which Anderson wass on par with. Anderson also was able to handle the rock which Fields doesn't do, shoot 3's which Fields didn't do was a leader on the floor and in the locker room. Imo, the perception of him being selfish is is misleading because he was required to take shots pre Rudy Gay, because there was nobody on the team willing to take the big shots or make things happen. He took far fewer shots once Gay was on board.

He out contributed Fields in a lot of ways this past season and even in previous seasons if you do a comparison of AA's numbers compared to Fields' the previous year. And to boot, he did it making $5,395,611 less.

Why so much love for Fields? By all accounts they provide the same skill set on the court and frankly the only thing Fields was good for this past season was his defense which Anderson wass on par with. Anderson also was able to handle the rock which Fields doesn't do, shoot 3's which Fields didn't do was a leader on the floor and in the locker room. Imo, the perception of him being selfish is is misleading because he was required to take shots pre Rudy Gay, because there was nobody on the team willing to take the big shots or make things happen. He took far fewer shots once Gay was on board.

He out contributed Fields in a lot of ways this past season and even in previous seasons if you do a comparison of AA's numbers compared to Fields' the previous year. And to boot, he did it making $5,395,611 less.

The main reason is that Fields looks to be part of this team for the long-term and is still young, whereas Anderson is not in the team's long-term plans. Since the Raptors aren't in 'win now' mode, I would much rather give minutes to the younger players who are/might be a core part of this team moving forward.

Defensively, I think Fields is better than Anderson. I felt that Anderson was a little overrated on defense and that Fields was underrated this year. Fields had some great games shutting down some of the best wings in the game and I felt he did so more consistently/effectively than Anderson (granted Anderson is definitely an above average defender).

Part of my problem with Anderson (whether or not DC deserves blame for this is debateable) is that even when he was on the court with 4 starters, he still often played like he was 'the man'. It was very frustrating in many games to watch him shoot the Raptors out of the game in the 4th, instead of deferring to Gay/DeRozan/Lowry/Johnson. I like Fields' fit with the starters much better, because he doesn't try to do too much or force his game. He is happy deferring to them and doing all the little things, like playing off the ball, facilitating ball movement (AA is often a black hole), sneaking in for rebounds, etc...

The only weakness in Fields' game this season was his shooting, which was obviously effected by his wrist injury. Even down the stretch his shot seemed to be improving and I think he will be able to overcome this deficiency next season.

The main reason is that Fields looks to be part of this team for the long-term and is still young, whereas Anderson is not in the team's long-term plans. Since the Raptors aren't in 'win now' mode, I would much rather give minutes to the younger players who are/might be a core part of this team moving forward.

Defensively, I think Fields is better than Anderson. I felt that Anderson was a little overrated on defense and that Fields was underrated this year. Fields had some great games shutting down some of the best wings in the game and I felt he did so more consistently/effectively than Anderson (granted Anderson is definitely an above average defender).

Part of my problem with Anderson (whether or not DC deserves blame for this is debateable) is that even when he was on the court with 4 starters, he still often played like he was 'the man'. It was very frustrating in many games to watch him shoot the Raptors out of the game in the 4th, instead of deferring to Gay/DeRozan/Lowry/Johnson. I like Fields' fit with the starters much better, because he doesn't try to do too much or force his game. He is happy deferring to them and doing all the little things, like playing off the ball, facilitating ball movement (AA is often a black hole), sneaking in for rebounds, etc...

The only weakness in Fields' game this season was his shooting, which was obviously effected by his wrist injury. Even down the stretch his shot seemed to be improving and I think he will be able to overcome this deficiency next season.

I have to disagree with some of what your are saying. I felt that they are both average to good defenders, but that AA was defending against the opposing teams best wing on a night in/out basis. Fields had a really good game against Melo in the first game against the Knicks and seemed to have built a rep based on that one game against a familiar player whose tendencies are things he is aware of. But again, I felt Anderson defended against the better players through the large sample of the season.

I also felt AA's rep as a selfish player was undeserved or over blown. For much of the season Gay wasn't on the team so if you're in with Lowry, DeRozan, Amir and JV....well there really isn't a go to guy in that line up is there? DeMar was only effective in the post against smaller guards and wasn't/isn't able to take anyone off the dribble. Only Lowry and AA were able to go one on one in an iso from top of the key and Lowry was passive after his injury early in the season. Maybe Casey does get some of the blame for such a iso based offense, or maybe it's just the personnel out there, but don't see why AA should be labeled a black hole for being the best option on offense at that time.

I felt like Fields showd a lot of holes in his game. Maybe they were all related to the wrist issue, but I don't see how your wrist could be so bad that you keep blowing lay ups, or that you can't dribble more than twice before picking up your dribble and passing it. If his wrist was that bad then he wouldn't be playing.

You make a good point about the team moving forward, but frankly for the salary difference I'd go with what Anderson gives you at a fraction of the cost. He's not that old that he can't be a role player for 4 -5 years lonnger

I love when people call Anderson a veteran, it gives me a good laugh. The guy sure has played lots of basketball, in and around, but, he's not a veteran when thinking NBA experience. He's played on bad teams - yes, including the Raptors - and has never played in the playoffs. At 30 years old, he is still trying to prove himself, that says a lot right there.

I disagree with this ALOT. So you didn't feel like Anthony Parker brought any Veteran Experience when we signed him?
Anderson brings a grit to the team that hasn't been there in a long time, and that is almost solely due to his experience playing in tougher situations and succeeding.

RaptorReuben wrote:

Alan Anderson has a good skill-set, solid perimeter shooter, can play in 1-on-1 situations, good on-ball defender, locker room/chemistry guy, but to counter, he takes ill-advised shots, incredibly streaky, selfish, and with Casey, being used in a role that is not suited for him.

What other role would you have for him other than Shooter off the Bench?
There's no problem with his role in my opinion.

And, once again, In my opinion, all those Pros you listed far outweight the Cons.
AA adds value to this team.

"That was Nasty right? Cocked that Joint back and banged on 'em." -James Johnson

I have to disagree with some of what your are saying. I felt that they are both average to good defenders, but that AA was defending against the opposing teams best wing on a night in/out basis. Fields had a really good game against Melo in the first game against the Knicks and seemed to have built a rep based on that one game against a familiar player whose tendencies are things he is aware of. But again, I felt Anderson defended against the better players through the large sample of the season.

I also felt AA's rep as a selfish player was undeserved or over blown. For much of the season Gay wasn't on the team so if you're in with Lowry, DeRozan, Amir and JV....well there really isn't a go to guy in that line up is there? DeMar was only effective in the post against smaller guards and wasn't/isn't able to take anyone off the dribble. Only Lowry and AA were able to go one on one in an iso from top of the key and Lowry was passive after his injury early in the season. Maybe Casey does get some of the blame for such a iso based offense, or maybe it's just the personnel out there, but don't see why AA should be labeled a black hole for being the best option on offense at that time.

I felt like Fields showd a lot of holes in his game. Maybe they were all related to the wrist issue, but I don't see how your wrist could be so bad that you keep blowing lay ups, or that you can't dribble more than twice before picking up your dribble and passing it. If his wrist was that bad then he wouldn't be playing.

You make a good point about the team moving forward, but frankly for the salary difference I'd go with what Anderson gives you at a fraction of the cost. He's not that old that he can't be a role player for 4 -5 years lonnger

We'll have to just agree to disagree about Anderson/Fields. I can't possibly see how AA would ever be the 'best option' offensively when playing in a lineup with DeRozan, Lowry, Amir and Valanciunas though...

I assume AA will be looking for a payday this offseason, so the salary difference may not be as substantial as it was this season, effectively making that somewhat a moot point.

For me, the long-term view of this team is the deciding factor, when picking between Anderson & Fields for next season. They definitely both come with pros/cons and have big question marks heading into next season, but I'd rather roll the dice with Fields (and Ross) and see if he can return to his rookie-season form (and improve upon it), to establish himself as a core player moving forward.

The real issue with Anderson is that he should never have played as many minutes has he did this season. That fault lies with Casey, but also has a lot to do with Fields being injured for the first 3 quarters of the season. Had he been healthy from the start, it would have been him gaining Casey's confidence and not Anderson. Alan Anderson got a lucky break in an otherwise unspectacular career and he made the most of it.

While I don't think it's abnormal to carry 5+ guard-forwards on a team, I really don't see a reason to carry on with a guy like Anderson unless he's willing to accept the veteran's minimum. When you consider we have Ross, Fields, Gay and DeRozan occupying these two positions and they're getting paid a combined $36.3M (approx. 60% of the payroll), it doesn't really make sense to add more to this.

To put it into perspective, only two other teams in the NBA have more money committed to these two positions -- the Heat (Wade, Lebron, Miller, Battier, Allen, Jones, $52M) and the Lakers (Kobe, World Peace, Meeks, $38M). The Raptors are 3rd.

We'll have to just agree to disagree about Anderson/Fields. I can't possibly see how AA would ever be the 'best option' offensively when playing in a lineup with DeRozan, Lowry, Amir and Valanciunas though...

I assume AA will be looking for a payday this offseason, so the salary difference may not be as substantial as it was this season, effectively making that somewhat a moot point.

For me, the long-term view of this team is the deciding factor, when picking between Anderson & Fields for next season. They definitely both come with pros/cons and have big question marks heading into next season, but I'd rather roll the dice with Fields (and Ross) and see if he can return to his rookie-season form (and improve upon it), to establish himself as a core player moving forward.

Fair enough, but I think if you play a pick up game with AA vs. any of those players you mentioned that AA wins hands down against all but Lowry. He has the most offensive tools of the bunch with the exception of Lowry imo. And also to consider is that he took so many shots this season pre Rudy Gay. What's to say he can't adjust his game to play a different role now that Gay is here and DeMar has stepped up his game?

For me I take Ross and Anderson going forward and move Fields if at all possible. Fields, imo is only looked upon as a part of the future becase we are stuck with his contract, not because he's looked upon as a vaulable piece. I hope he regains form from his rookie season and adds to his game, but I just don't see it right now. Considering if what we've seen is what we are going to get from him I take Anderson and his contract which is guaranteed to be far less. Let's hope I'm wrong because as I said we are stuck with fields.

I disagree with this ALOT. So you didn't feel like Anthony Parker brought any Veteran Experience when we signed him?
Anderson brings a grit to the team that hasn't been there in a long time, and that is almost solely due to his experience playing in tougher situations and succeeding.

What other role would you have for him other than Shooter off the Bench?
There's no problem with his role in my opinion.

And, once again, In my opinion, all those Pros you listed far outweight the Cons.
AA adds value to this team.

- Anderson didn't bring NBA experience, and it was obvious by the way Anderson played on the court offensively. Yes, Anderson is an old-fashioned player, a guy you want on your side during a bar fight, but more often than not, his offensive game reminded me of a rookie scorer. The thing about Parker, is he reminds me a lot of Anderson (Anderson more skilled player), perimeter shooter, good defender, but the difference between the two, was Parker played within the offense, and didn't go farther than what he had to. If he ever did, that was probably because Triano/Mitchell played him at point guard due to injuries.

- Role? Third stringer, plays defense, scores when needs to, not go out of his way to be the number one option for a period of time. Takes the perimeter shots within the flow of the offense, and be mindful of your teammates when they are in a groove. Tried to take over the game, and that isn't and shouldn't be his role.

- I never said AA doesn't add value. I just said that he has a good skill-set, but not being used in the proper role, and being given far too much freedom.

Like many who have mentioned, if Casey/BC is back, I do not want Anderson back on this team, not to mention the minutes he will be eating should be going to Ross and Fields.

Eceryone talking about not playing Anderson at all or as much this season you realize the bench was crap right? had no choice but to play Anderson! and we only got Gay with 30 games left in the season. Raps were trying to win games and Anderson was doing more often than not a good job hes a streaky scorer so you shouldnt be surprised he is on and off and he knew what he was doing defensively out there so of course he played.

If this is an arguement about Ross no just no stop it now, Ross played and was lost all season on the defensive end constantly out of position and was streaky himself, but that has a lot to do with bad PG play cant get a possession out of him,

Fields injured and limited offense to say the least
Bargnani being useless
Ross being a rookie
Klieza.......

Anderson had to pick up the slack for a lot of things. Now that I refect the poor guy takes a lot of BS here (Ive bashed him as well I know) Casey played him because he had to and he had a big role on the team, when realistically he is a 3rd stringer is because of injury and ineptitude of certain players. I would rather have Anderosn play than Klieza.